Latest from James Graham

• Feb 13, 2023

  How permanent is remote work really going to be?

  

  The remote working trend that started during the pandemic may be tapering off as employers require employees to come back in the office, but it’s likely to stick around in some form. According to Chris Farrell, that’s because employers that offer remote work will now be able to distinguish themselves in the labor market. The U.S. government is imposing economic restrictions on the Chinese firms that manufacture balloons from U.S. technology. And, consumers in the coming year may be a bit more inclined to shop cautiously as the economy slows and pocketbooks tighten.

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• Feb 13, 2023

  All out! Strikes continue across Europe

  

  From the BBC World Service: There’s been no rest for industrial unrest in Europe as another week of strikes kick off across the continent. We hear from France, Portugal and Spain. Plus, the authorities in Turkey make arrests over suspected building violations in the wake of the deadly earthquake. And, many economies depend on remittances – money sent home from workers or families overseas – but tighter budgets around the world mean less money is being sent to Pakistan at a time when it’s struggling with a foreign currency crisis.

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• Feb 10, 2023

  Could poultry farmers come to the rescue for egg suppliers?

  

  Egg prices are still up in supermarkets across the board, but there could be relief on the horizon for egg suppliers in the form of eggs from poultry farmers — if regulators give the go-ahead. People have fled en masse from their homes in disaster-affected Turkey to different parts of the country, reports Victoria Craig. Russia announced its production of oil substantially, leading to higher market prices for energy. And, advertisers for Sunday’s Super Bowl showdown are having to navigate their messaging around Americans’ unease about the state of the economy. 

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• Feb 10, 2023

  This year, Super Bowl commercials will feature more brand collabs

  

  This Super Bowl weekend, millions of eyes will be trained on TVs around the world to watch the big game — and the multi-million-dollar advertisements that come with it. We check in with Jeanine Poggi, editor of the publication Ad Age, to see what brands have up their sleeves this year. The NFL, meanwhile, is facing a lawsuit from a group of former players over the league’s handling of disability claims. And, a look at why video game prices are starting to deviate from the normal $60 for a new release. 

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• Feb 10, 2023

  Turkey and Syria plead for more aid

  

  From the BBC World Service: The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, is appealing to the world to send emergency supplies and cash to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. Pakistan’s talks with IMF officials have ended with no deal agreed. Plus, the chaos in Nigeria continues as the deadline to replace old bank notes with new ones is extended.

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• Feb 9, 2023

  With NFTs, what does and doesn’t count as art?

  

  A federal district court in New York has ruled in favor of Hermès, the maker of the Birkin brand of handbag, in a trademark case against the artist behind the “Metabirkin” NFT. Art critic Blake Gopnik, who worked with the team defending the artist, walks us through the verdict. KPMG Chief Economist Diane Swonk takes us through what the latest round of layoffs means for the economy. And, inside the CVS’s acquisition of a primary care provider. 

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• Feb 9, 2023

  This debt ceiling fight brings up old overspending concerns

  

  The fight playing out in Congress over the debt ceiling is being called different from previous spats about spending, but many arguments by Republicans today harken back to a longstanding unease with government overspending. We talk to Michael Boskin, a professor of economics at Stanford who headed the U.S. Council of Economic Advisors during George H.W. Bush’s presidency, about his views on the dispute playing out in Washington. And, Disney’s not-so-new CEO, Bob Iger, is running into a litany of challenges as he tries to boost the sagging entertainment giant. 

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• Feb 9, 2023

  Is there a moral obligation on richer nations to help struggling countries?

  

  From the BBC World Service: The head of the World Trade Organisation Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala tells us richer countries have a moral obligation to help poorer ones through the cost of living crisis. Plus, what next for games developer Activision Blizzard and its $70 billion tie-up with Microsoft after the UK competition regulator said it would hurt consumers? And, can Credit Suisse rebuild? After a string of scandals, it has a new management team and a new plan but a massive annual loss – its worst since the 2008 financial crisis – shows the scale of the task ahead.

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• Feb 8, 2023

  Retailers are stocking more stuff, a good sign for the economy

  

  The most recent issue of the Logistics Managers Index, an industry gauge of retail inventories, showed that sellers expanded their stocks in January. That suggests that consumer demand is remaining strong and that supply chains are sorting themselves out, all good signs for the economy. We spoke with Dr. Julie Varughese, senior vice president of programs and chief medical officer at Americares, a disaster relief nonprofit, about the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. And what’s behind Fed Chair Powell’s most recent words on inflation and rate hikes?

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• Feb 8, 2023

  Inside the anti-labor history of austerity

  

  Austerity, or government measures to cut spending in times of economic crisis, has a long history of being used to suppress the labor force, argues a new book called “The Capital Order.” We speak to the author, Clara Mattei, an economics professor at the New School for Social Research. And, President Biden’s State of the Union speech last night featured a heavy dose of economic policy, including a proposed billionaire tax. 

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